Maya Figure of a dignitary, Late Classic, A.D. 600–800 Ceramic with pigmentThe expressive face, chis
Maya Figure of a dignitary, Late Classic, A.D. 600–800 Ceramic with pigmentThe expressive face, chiseled nose, feathered cape, turban, and slight paunch attest to the noble status of this figure and suggest that the work is a portrait of an actual person. The pattern of punctures in the clay represents a design on the loincloth and resembles the type of designs that were tie-dyed onto cotton material. The open mouth, large chest, and expansive gesture may indicate that the man was a court singer, or k'ayom, a title that appears in association with attendants depicted on Maya vase paintings. Many Jaina figurines have been found in burials, but it is not known if the tombs were actually those of the individuals portrayed or if the figures represented personages with whom the deceased wished to advocate a special relationship. Like the individuals portrayed on Maya vases, Jaina figurines appear to play roles in extensive narratives involving either mythical or historical events. -- source link
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